DO YOU BOO

“so we living life like a video….” – Jigga (Young Forever)

Ever since I could remember I loved playing dress up. When I was little my Mama owned some bad shoes and leather jackets and whenever she wore them she looked sooooo fly. I used to put on her clothes to try and look just as fly. I wanted to look like my Mama. I wanted to be pretty like my Mama. I wanted to dress funky fresh like my Mama. So you can blame my shopping and fashion addiction on my Mama. My Mama’s signature look that I stole and STILL rock to this day is a headscarf, big hoop earrings, sunglasses and bangles. So it’s no surprise that I’m fascinated with makeup and fashion; lip gloss, a bad pair of shoes – not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good – premium denim jeans, blazers, earrings and handbags. And even though I’m a tad more responsible these days as I don’t shop as frequently as I used to and I rarely pay full price for anything, I spend my days in thrift stores or rummaging through clearance racks, I still like to keep my ear to the boulevards of fashion. I rely heavily on my sister and Toe to keep me in tune as well as blog sites and magazine covers. (When you get a chance check my sister’s fashion blog, www.retelltherapy.com) It’s my thought that many other women enjoy shopping just as much as we do and the rush of finding a bad pair of shoes for a 1/3 of the price is unmatched. It doesn’t mean we’re materialistic or fake or trying hard to mimic the look of reality TV stars or celebrities, it means that we know when a woman leaves the house she’s presenting herself to the world and we understand that people respond to what they see and how it’s presented. It sets the stage for how many interact with you and receive you. For the record, I don’t dress for other women; I think that’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. I dress for myself. I’m curious to see the different looks I can create. It’s not my desire to dress like someone I saw on TV to look like them or try and recreate a fictional life that isn’t my own. I don’t think a woman should feel bad for buying herself something nice or for pampering herself as recognition for a major accomplishment or hard work. I think it’s unfair for others to label you because your look is unfavorable or easily recognizable.

Every woman with a weave, who rocks 6″ stilettos and has an acrylic overlay french manicure isn’t fake. There are many sistas who rock their natural hair and ballet flats not because they are making a statement but because they too want to donn a new look. If a woman purchases a $700 bag doesn’t necessarily mean she’s fiscally irresponsible as we’re on the outside looking in and we don’t know her financial situation. Just because YOU can’t afford it or would rather not spend your money on such expenditures doesn’t mean others are superficial if they do. We have to think twice before passing judgment and give people the benefit of the doubt. A person’s physical appearance and their material possessions is just the abstract, the prologue – it’s not the whole story. If you have the nerve, push your prejudices aside and start a conversation. Get to know a person, spend time with a person, build with a person and before you know it, you may find they are everything you thought they weren’t. And who knows, you just may start to like them. Until tomorrow youngn’s.